GO HERE NOW // PBS's "Off Book" Shows You The Fringe

 We've loved us some PBS since back in the after-school-special days. But if you haven't been watching web series "Off Book" by PBS Arts, we highly recommend getting on it. The series does short documenteries about a wide spectrum of contemporary artists; from steampunks to hackers to typeface designers and beyond.

This most recent episode, focusing mainly on street art, is a must-see.

Watch the full episode. See more Off Book.

It opens with Olek, a Brooklyn-based crocheter ("Knitting is for pussies," she says) who creates sculptures that have been shown in galleries world-wide. Olek's done interactive exhibits at both the Brooklyn Museum and the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C. You've probably seen her work around the city, and her cover of the bull sculpture on Wall Street is particularly resonant these days.

The second half of the segment is devoted to Swoon, whomyou may recognize from Exit Through the Gift Shop. Her multimedia murals are inspired by the layered texture of New York itself, giving even her gallery shows a pleasantly gritty feel, even though her portrait subjects are often happy and smiling. It's hard not to do the same at this New York I Love You redux. 

--Layla Schlack